As you can imagine there was a lot of talk about applications, I don’t how many times the iPhone was mentioned (a lot). I sat on a panel talking about the iPad, a core question – would the iPad market change the publishing industry?

Following on from yesterday there were a lot of topics covered, different approaches spoken about; native applications, web applications, paywalls, freemium, advertising… there were also some areas that were not really addressed, context (service and advertising), hybrid applications, user retention… I felt compelled to share some thoughts.

My advice to media owners and publishers when progressing a mobile strategy:

First of all: Mobile is a proprietary environment that is emerging and fragmented – there are NO right answers! There are methods to approaching mobile that will enable you to build a sustainable foundation and trial elements that establish the right strategic approach for your business. Having defined, delivered and successfully taken to market mass audience services in three continents there are many challenges and barriers that organisations need to understand. There are some methods that you should not use to approach the market. (See: Mobile: Why Run before you Walk…). Start point:

Why? – Why are you interesting in mobile and why is your offer relevant to a mobile user (not just because it is a big audience!)

What? – What do you want a consumer to do as a result of interacting with your service

How? – A common mistake that many make is to focus on the device or platform – iPhone, Andriod and now iPad etc. – tactics come into play as you consider execution, not from the outset.

Thinking tactically is fine if you wish to progress a niche path into the market – or develop a showcase service. If you wish to establish as strategic foundation this can be fatal. Don’t get caught up in the hype and technology. (See: ‘iSyndrome’ – Why limit your slice of the pie?)

ENGAGEMENT = ATTRACTIVE, FUNCTIONAL & EASY TO USE (Services have to offer utility and deliver results)

Features – Can add value or create barriers (i.e. some carriers/operators in the require applications to be individually signed if they use device features like PIM (contacts book)

Key is to understand limiting factors – potential barriers – from the outset develop a mobile approach that can be controlled by the individual organisation and built from a consistent foundation, not one reliant on or constrained by third parties. Get as much out in the open from the start! Think about the market – not individual devices and platforms – think about the consumer and the offer.

At Indigo 102 we specialising in bringing out the realities – communicate the benefits and risks – at the early stages. We work with organisations to build mobile strategies that deliver value over time and develop services that are sustainable. If we can support you to invest wisely and establish a sustainable mobile platform get in touch (martin@indigo102.com).